Tuesday Afterschool Special: Going Yard

Charlie Broaddus |
June 21st 2016, 1:24 pm

Home Run Derby in Miami

Monday's game between the Miami Marlins and Colorado Rockies served as a warmup for next month’s Home Run Derby, with the teams combining for eight runs on eight solo homeruns. The Rockies prevailed 5–3, but the teams now share the Major League record for runs scored in a game only on solo bombs. The previous record was five.

Of the thirteen batters to come to bat, five hit homeruns. Miami’s Marcell Ozuna and Colorado’s Mark Reynolds each hit two. Here are all eight:

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The Home Run Derby's greatest moments

Dave "The Cobra" Parker was the original Home Run Derby champion, belting six home runs to defeat a field that included Jim Rice and future Hall of Famers Eddie Murray, Carlton Fisk, Cal Ripken Jr. and Ryne Sandberg at the Metrodome. Back then it was an AL vs. NL competition, and the Junior Circuit won 17-16.

Future Hall of Famer Ryne Sandberg took home top honors in a Derby that was decidedly toned down from what it would become in later years. He needed only three home runs to win it at Wrigley Field, his home ballpark.

Cal Ripken Jr. blew away the field with 12 home runs at the Skydome and then homered in the All-Star Game as well to take home MVP honors. He is one of only three players to win the Derby and homer in the Game, with Frank Thomas (1995) and Garret Anderson (2003) being the others.

Reigning single-season Home Run King Mark McGwire lived up to his title by blasting 13 home runs over the Green Monster to open the Derby at Fenway Park. McGwire would falter in the second round, though, as Ken Griffey Jr. took his second consecutive crown.

Sammy Sosa electrified the Turner Field crowd by crushing the field with a then-record 26 homers. The next-highest total belonged to Boston's Carl Everett with 12, though it was Ken Griffey Jr. who made it to the final round opposite Sosa.

At Comerica Park, Bobby Abreu went ballistic with a record 24 home runs in the first round and belted another 11 in the finals to defeat Pudge Rodriguez. Abreu would hit 41 total for the Derby to set an overall record. Ironically, Abreu would hit only six home runs in the second half of the season.

While Justin Morneau was the official winner, it was Josh Hamilton who captured the hearts of Yankee Stadium fans, breaking Bobby Abreu's mark for one round by clubbing a Derby-record 28 homers in the first round.

Robinson Cano outslugged Adrian Gonzalez to win a Home Run Derby that turned into a Yankees-Red Sox showdown. Batting last and being pitched to by his father, Cano defeated Gonzalez 12-11 in the finals after they each hit 20 home runs through two rounds

Prince Fielder tied the finals record as he beat Jose Bautista 12-7 at Kauffman Stadium. The Tigers slugger, who hit 28 homers in all, including a 476-foot shot, joined Ken Griffey Jr. as the only players with multiple Derby wins.

Yoenis Cespedes became the first player left out of the All-Star Game to take home the crown, needing just five outs to pass Bryce Harper in the finals with a 455 foot shot to center field. In only his second major league season, the outfielder from Cuba hit a whopping 17 home runs in the first round—more than any other player managed in their first two trips to the plate. Cespedes would go on to win again next year.

In the first year with timed rounds, it came down to the wire. Playing in front of his home fans at Great American Ball Park, Todd Frazier crushed one to the seats in left centerfield on his first bonus-round swing in the final round, giving him a 15–14 win over Dodgers rookie Joc Pederson. A year after falling short in the final, the Reds third baseman walked away with the hardware this time, becoming just the second player to win in front of his home crowd, joining the Cubs’ Ryne Sandberg (1990) in that category.

Giancarlo Stanton crushed a Derby-record 61 home runs en route to a victory. Stanton cruised through each of his matchups, winning 24–7 against Robinson Cano, 17–14 against Mark Trumbo, and 20–13 against defending champ Todd Frazier in the final round. Stanton hit towering shot after towering shot, wowing the crowd with his ability to spray balls all over the field. The Marlins outfielder hit the 10 longest bombs of the night, as well as 18 of the 19 longest.